This invention pertains to an ultrasonic transducer for use at the hot spot in the manifold of an internal combustion engine to finely vaporize the fuel and enhance engine performance, particularly, starting in cold weather, and acceleration of the internal combustion engine. By providing fast cold weather starting, eliminating cold weather warm up, and permitting operation of the engine with leaner fuel-air mixtures, gasoline mileage can be improved.
The prior art discloses many different attempts at improving carburetion to enhance engine operation. Heavey U.S. Pat. No. 1,939,302 shows a carburetion apparatus utilizing a crystal below a pool of gasoline to help vaporize same into an air stream and a crystal with needles secured thereto downstream from the first crystal to help comminute larger droplets in the fuel-air mixture.
Vang U.S. Pat. No. 2,414,494 suggests placing a vibration disc inside the cylinder of a diesel engine for the purpose of atomizing the fuel delivered into the cylinder. In another embodiment, Vang suggests placing a vibration disc in the manifold of a gasoline engine near the intake port of each of the cylinders.
Vang U.S. Pat. No. 2,454,900 shows an oscillating device supported by a spider for applying vibrations to the fuel-air mixture.
Magui et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,704,535 reveals a device for improving carburetion in an internal combustion engine which comprises an annular supersonic wave emitter disposed on a duct communicating to the manifold of an internal combustion engine for better gasifying the fuel fed to the manifold.
Paul U.S. Pat. No. 2,769,698 pertains to a basket-type fuel mixer insert adapted to impart turbulence to the fuel mixture as it enters as internal combustion engine.
The Grieb U.S. Pat. No. 2,791,990 pertains to an ultrasonic mixing apparatus for an internal combustion engine in which laminar flow conditions pervail so that the gaseous fuel charge will flow smoothly therethrough and into the cylinders with a minimum of pressure drop within the system. Grieb provides a hollow rectangular transducer element which is porous so that fuel can be fed into the air stream through the transducer element itself.
Grieb U.S. Pat. No. 2,791,994 reveals an ultrasonic mixing apparatus having a pair of annular transducers in series in a duct.
Brody U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,744 suggests placing a fuel mixture device in the manifold of an internal combustion engine. The fuel mixture device comprises a plurality of closely packed sinuous members which define a plurality of generally axially extending twisted passages which are laterally intercommunicating.
Scarpa U.S. Pat. No. 3,433,461 discloses a piezoelectric generating element comprising a crystal bonded to a mounting element, each having a thickness which is substantially a half-wavelength in the resonant thickness frequency.
Thatcher U.S. Pat. No. 3,533,606 shows an ultrasonic carburetor system which employs a relatively large fuel input jet means for fuel feeding.
Larson U.S. Pat. No. 3,544,290 reveals a fuel atomizing unit which comprises a strainer screen upstream of a vibratory structure in the form of a vane resonator or propellor resonator located in the path of the fuel-air mixture to help atomize fuel passing through the duct in which the strainer screen and resonator are disposed.
Priegel U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,545 shows an ultrasonic fuel atomizer apparatus adapted to be inserted between a standard carburetor and the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine. The atomizer apparatus comprises a disc affixed to an exciter which drives the disc at the resonant frequency of the entire system. The disc and exciter are housed within a chamber, with the disc being disposed laterally with respect to the air flow from the carburetor.
Nagumo U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,383 pertains to a diaphragm opposed to an inlet of the riser of an intake manifold and means for applying a high frequency alternate electric voltage across both sides of the diaphragm to induce mechanical vibration of the diaphragm.
Kompamek U.S. Pat. No. 4,038,348 suggests the use of a cylindrical transducer below a carburetor in an internal combustion engine.
Asai U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,004 shows a cylindrical transducer that is adapted to cooperate with anozzle for atomizing fuel discharged from the nozzle onto a peripheral wall of the transducer. A control device controls the amount of fuel being injected through the injection nozzle in response to the running conditions of the internal combustion engine.
Asai U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,459 discloses a carburetor which includes a cylindrical transducer and a nozzle cooperating therewith.
Martin U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,634 reveals a fuel injection system comprising a vibrating fuel injector and a vibrating butterfly or sliding valve so positioned that it receives fuel from the injector and further vibrates the fuel to break it up even more.
Volkswagen has experimented with a "hedgehog-like" heater insert mounted in the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine. This insert is electrically heated by PTC elements at low temperatures. There is no suggestion of the use of an ultrasonic transducer to achieve the advantages of the present invention.
Some of these prior art devices require modification of the carburetor or the engine to utilize the vaporizing device. Some prior art devices are relatively complex and costly and are incapable of performing as does the present invention. None of these prior art devices suggest the present invention.
The present invention stems from attempts to develop the carburetion system for internal combustion engines as disclosed in Csaszar and Oehley U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,064. The principle of vaporization is employed in a much simpler and less costly device that does not require any alteration of the carburetor or the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine for installation of the device into the intake manifold.
The present invention provides an improved ultrasonic transducer wherein the disadvantages and deficiences of prior constructions are obviated.
There has been provided by this invention an improved ultrasonic transducer adapted to be disposed at the hot spot in the manifold of an internal combustion engine for enhancing cold weather starting of the internal combustion engine and improving the performance of the internal combustion engine.
This invention provides an ultrasonic transducer adapted to be inserted into the hot spot in the intake manifold of an engine, without altering the engine structure or the engine specifications.
Further, this invention provides an improved ultrasonic transducer adapted to be positioned in the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine for assuring cold weather starting of the engine and eliminating engine stall when accelerating the cold engine under load.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved ultrasonic transducer adapted to be inserted below the carburetor in the manifold of an automotive engine for improving engine start up and performance, such transducer including a crystal operable at a range in excess of 1,000,000 Hz and a resonator operatively connected to said crystal for vibration by same, said resonator being tuned to the frequency of said crystal.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved ultrasonic transducer adapted to be inserted between the carburetor and cylinders of an automotive engine for finely vaporizing the fuel supplied to the cylinders to boost engine power while saving fuel.
A further object of this invention is to provide an improved ultrasonic transducer that will gasify fuel fed to the cylinders in an automotive engine into a very fine vapor to cause more complete burning of the fuel so as to deliver more power with less fuel, while reducing carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions from the engine.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved ultrasonic transducer of simple construction that is relatively inexpensive, can be easily installed into an intake manifold of an engine without any modification of the intake manifold, and will operate to finely vaporize the fuel fed to the cylinders of the engine so as to improve engine performance.
Other objects and advantages will be made more apparent hereinafter.